RED BOAT TROUPES AND CANTONESE ... - University of Georgia

Recitatives in a Cantonese opera include speech in metrical rhythms, recitation of poems,
heightened speech, and speech with a formula, which is usually recited quickly with percussion
accompaniment. The orchestra gives cues to singer in approaching certain oral delivery. The
kwun fa (rolling flower) style recitative is announced by the orchestra in either one of two types
of short motifs. Other recitatives include so pak lam (counting white olives) in narrating a story,
hau goo (hau-mouth, goo-story) and si pak (si-poem, pak-recite). Sometimes two different tune
types are sung consecutively with little break, the rhythm changes suddenly, and the melody
changes. This stimulates the audiences’ attention.
Three beats in one measure occasionally appears in the music, but the following meters are
most common in Cantonese Opera:
1. The slow rhythm (maan ban) – similar to the 4/4 in the western system
2. The moderate rhythm (zong ban)– similar to the 2/4 in the western system
3. The water rhythm (lau seung ban)– one beat in a measure
4. The freedom rhythm (san ban) – the performer has liberty to sing according to
his/her wish.
Cantonese singers alternate between palms facing upward and facing downward in counting
beats while practicing a song. While doing this, touching the thumb to the second finger, index
finger or ring finger also expresses the number of beats in a measure.
Most songs are sung in a key with the tonic some microtones higher than concert pitch C,
which is called zing sin, 110 and its relative dominant as tonic, the fan sin. 111 B-flat and F are
sometimes used as tonics. Mr. Wong Toa said that professionals used to sing with C# as tonic,
but lately they lowered it to C. He lamented that professionals today do not practice as much as
110 Meaning on the line.
111 Meaning opposite line.
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